My Mommy and Daddy
by bubble-rouge08
Summary: [SMACKed] It's Dylan's first day of school! [Part of the Since That Cold November Day series] It's kiddy!fluff.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Anybody missed Dylan? I know I did. And he missed all of you as well. **_

_**Oh well, if you have no idea whom I'm talking about – Dylan is my original character from "Since That Cold November Day". Read chapter 25-26 and you'll get the gist.**_

_**If you already know and love him, I won't waste your time with my babbling anymore. I hope you enjoy this new story. Thanks!**_

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**MY MOMMY AND DADDY**

**© CATE**

It was 8:30 p.m. and four-year-old Dylan Christopher was _still_ awake. It was nowhere near past his bedtime but he had a big day tomorrow. He kept on bouncing on his bed with a wide smile on his chubby face.

Tomorrow would be his first day of preschool and he's very excited. About a month ago, his parents, Mac and Stella made their choice of school for their son. It was a reasonably priced private preschool near the crime lab with after school activities in case neither parent can pick him up right away.

The administration was very glad to accommodate Dylan. "Very smart, articulate, polite and happy boy," the remarks card said. "_Inquisitive_," Stella laughed at that. She knew that it's a nice way of saying, "He asks a _lot_ of questions." The letter also said, "We are happy to have him in this school. A good boy with great and supportive parents."

They sent three sets of uniforms and a list of requirements. Dylan tried on his uniform that night after dinner and he looked very cute. He was in dark blue slacks, black school shoes and a white button-down shirt. They were also required to wear a necktie, which sent the little boy over the moon.

"I'll be like Daddy now!" he exclaimed as Stella crouched down to put it on him. He held the end of the tie and said, "See?"

Mac picked him up, careful not to wrinkle the shirt and gave him a raspberry. "I like it, Dylan. Very much." The little boy giggled and kissed his cheek. "Do you like it Stella?" She chuckled and nodded as she fixed his collar. Dylan pointed downward and Mac got the point. He placed a palm over his wife's belly and asked, "Do you, Bumpy?"

Stella was seven months pregnant with a baby girl. Ever since her baby bump grew, Dylan nicknamed it 'Bumpy'. Mac could feel faint movements under his hand. "Bumpy loves it, big brother," Stella answered. It was getting more and more uncomfortable when the baby moved as the months dragged on.

Dylan clapped his hands and jumped from his father's arms. He ran downstairs to find his pet dog and hug him. But before he could finish the flight of stairs, Mac caught him. "Oh no, Dylan. Change into something else before you give Blue a hug," he warned. The boy mumbled his 'okay' and launched himself into Mac's arms. He then gave him a bath and changed him to his pajamas.

While they were in the bathroom, Stella double-checked his school bag. It was Bob the Builder as per his request. Actually, it was a gift from someone from the crime lab, Adam Ross, for his birthday not too long ago. She figured that she would stand-by the school for the day since it'll be his first time. Just in case he gets separation anxiety; she read that kids would get that.

Soft pitter-patter of feet on the carpet directed her gaze to the bedroom door. Dylan was running towards her, wrapped in a fluffy towel, with Mac hot in his heels. Her son slammed to her, toppling her backwards to her butt. Dylan buried his face against her chest and laughed. "Come on, how can you get mad at that?" she said to herself.

"Are you okay, Stell?" Mac asked with concern in his voice. "Dylan, you be careful."

"I'm fine, Mac, don't worry," she laughed, standing the boy up and rubbing him down. "Will you hand me his 'jammies?" He rummaged through the middle drawer and pulled out a plain green pajama set. He dressed his little boy and ruffled his wet hair.

"Off to bed with you," he said, sitting him on the bed.

"Not sweepy!" Dylan huffed and he started jumping on the bed. "Not tired!"

"But you have school tomorrow," Stella reasoned. She laughed at the thought that this will not be the last time one (or _both_) of them would say that to him. That didn't get their son to stop jumping. "Come on, baby. For Mommy?" That stopped him for a few seconds and he sat down, legs under the covers, toes wiggling. But after a while, he started to bounce.

"Not sweepy," he repeated. Stella sighed. Actually, _she_ was the one who's getting tired.

Blue scampered towards the end of the bed and barked at the sound of the springs squeaking and the bed shaking. In his doggy mind, he saw this somewhere before, only… _not in this room_.

That's where Mac took over. He sat on the bed and started tickling Dylan's exposed toes. Lightly at first and when the boy started to pull away, he grabbed his ankles and his fingers danced on the soles of his feet. "Daddy!" he squealed. "Daddy, please!" Mac wasn't letting up. "Mommy, help me?" he laughed out loud.

Dylan was trying to pry his dad's hands off his feet and knees. He wasn't doing a good job at it. "Can't, baby," Stella chuckled, hands on her belly. "But I can if you promise that if Daddy lets you go, you'll go to sleep. Big day tomorrow."

"I promise, I promise!" he cried out as Mac bit the tip of his big toe and growled like Blue. He let go and sat back up. Dylan was wiping tears from the edges of his eyes. "Tired now, Daddy."

Mac's smile said it all, "I _knew_ that would work." It always did. Apart from the 'no blankie over the toes' thing, being very ticklish is something that Dylan got from his mother.

"Big day tomorrow," Dylan whispered, his eyes half-mast. "School!"

"Yes, school," Stella cooed, kissing him on the forehead. "Good night, baby." Mac kissed him, too.

"Goodnight, Mommy and Daddy," Dylan mumbled. "Wuv you."

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_Well? Still cute, is he?_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all the great words and reviews. You're so good to my and little Dylan. I'm having fun writing kids again. Good thing I live near a preschool haha so I have a lot of material to work with.**_

_**Anyway, school starts again next week for me. Phooey!**_

_**Enjoy this one!**_

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The next day, about 6 in the morning, Stella felt somebody tugging on her pajama top. Mac felt something poking him on the side. Drifting in and out of sleep, the couple felt as if they were bouncing. Well in fact, the bed was. "Mommy! Daddy! School today!" a very up and excited Dylan was on their bed, shaking them awake.

Mac lifted his head off his pillow and he could see fuzzy green numbers display – _6:07 a.m._ He groaned as he felt his son's full weight on his stomach. "Alright, I'm up!" he said. When he opened his eyes, he was met with identical hazel ones from above. "Good morning, baby."

"Morning!" the boy said, snuggling closer. He settled on his father's chest and turned sideways to poke at his mother's arm. Stella has her back to them, still asleep. "Mommy…" he continued to poke.

"Stella," Mac tried to help, placing his hand on her arm and shaking her.

Stella grunted and slapped Mac's hand off her arm. "Go away… too early," her sleep-filled mumble sounded like. She wrapped the blanket closer around her.

Dylan pouted, looked at Mac and shrugged. "You're up early," he said to the boy.

"Don't wanna be late," he whispered, keeping in mind his sleeping mother.

"But it's just six in the morning," Mac sighed. "Can we go back to sleep and I wake you up again at seven? How's that?" They're taking him to school anyway; no bus to catch. The school bell would ring at 8:30 a.m. They would have enough time to prepare and drive him to the preschool.

His son seemed to consider that. But he's smarter than the average four-year-old. "_Taffic_?" he pressed. Monday's morning traffic can be a pain on the backside – and Mac knew that. He also knew that the does not like being late for work. Dylan wouldn't want to be late for school either.

"Okay, 6:30," he conceded. "Fifteen minutes and then we're up." Dylan nodded and closed his eyes. Stella hadn't moved from her previous position and seemed to be still in deep sleep.

The fifteen minutes flew by faster than Mac would want but he couldn't go back to sleep anyway. Dylan jumped off the bed and straight to the bathroom. Mac found him there, standing patiently with an expectant smile on his face. He made it his responsibility to give Dylan his baths.

Halfway through the bath, Stella came into the bathroom with a sleepy smile. "Who shook me?" she said, wetting her face.

"Good morning to you too, Stella," Mac chuckled.

"Where's Dylan?" she asked, sitting on the toilet lid and kissing him soundly on the lips.

Suddenly, the mound of suds jumped up and there was Dylan. "Here I am, Mommy!" he exclaimed with his hands outward. A pile of soap was on his head. "Good morning."

"Morning, baby," she laughed. "I can't hug you yet, though." Then she winced, gripping Mac's shoulder hard. "Oh Bumpy says 'good morning' to both of you, too," she said, soothing the spot where the baby kicked. "Well, I'm off to make breakfast."

Dylan was wrestling his shoes on when the scent of blueberry pancakes wafted through the air. Mac picked up the aroma of freshly brewed coffee – just for him. Stella retreated to warm milk upon learning of her pregnancy. Once Dylan was done with his shoes, his dad made a move to put the necktie on him.

"Nuh-uh, Daddy," he said, taking the piece of cloth from him. "Mommy said she'll put this on me." Mac smiled and carried him downstairs for breakfast.

Their noses were right, Stella had a platter of blueberry pancakes on the table and a steaming mug of coffee on Mac's place on the table. She was pouring a cup of fresh orange juice for Dylan and a tall glass of milk for herself. Dylan had outgrown his booster seat so it was stashed in storage. On the sofa in the living room, his Bob the Builder bag was ready and Stella has packed a PB&J sandwich and an apple to take with him.

"Hug now, Mommy?" Dylan said.

"And _kiss_," Stella replied, embracing his little boy and kissing his forehead. "Excited?" she asked, knotting the tie gently. He nodded happily.

By 7:30 a.m., they were on the road to the preschool. Their son was hugging his bag protectively while the parents were excited themselves. Mac's left hand was on the steering wheel, holding Stella's hand with the left.

"We're here," Mac said, turning to look at his son. Dylan looked worried, biting his lower lip. "What's wrong, baby?"

He was gazing at the school building and at the other kids with their parents. He looked apprehensive. He slowly looked at his parents as if begging them to say something.

Stella opened her arms just in time because Dylan crawled over to the front seat to hug her. "Scared, baby boy?" she said, stroking his hair. He nodded and sniffed. "Oh, you'll be fine. You'll do well," she comforted her son. "I'll stay with you, if you want." He looked up at her hopefully and showed her a small smile. "Okay?"

"Okay," he squeaked. Mac exited the car and went around to let Stella and Dylan out. Hand-in-hand, they walked towards the school building.

They found Dylan's room and saw a few kids already seated and waiting for the teacher. There were also parents looking on. One of the teachers they talked to a month prior was there. "Ah Detective and Missus Taylor," she said, shaking their hands. "I bet little Dylan's looking forward to today."

"Yes, he is," Mac answered, glancing at his son on his desk, starting to silently color the book he brought with him. "My wife will be staying here, if that's okay."

"Separation anxiety?" the teacher inquired. The parents nodded. "It'll pass. Some of them won't have it, actually. Maybe sweet little Dylan won't too."

"We were kind of hoping that," Stella sighed. "But I still want to be here. His first day of school." She saw a little boy seated beside Dylan and she realized that they were talking and laughing. _His first friend_.

"As I understand, you used to be a teacher, Mrs. Taylor?" she asked. "So being _in a school_ is not new to him."

"Yes, I used to teach college students in California," Stella answered, managing not to flinch when she felt the baby kick. "Dylan used to stay at the department daycare while I was in class. He loved it there."

The bell rang before they could say anything else. Bigger children rushed to enter the rooms while the kids inside Dylan's room straightened themselves up. Their parents took seats at the back of the room.

"I'll be nearby," Mac whispered in Stella's ear and kissed her. He waved goodbye to Dylan and went to work. Stella, on the other hand, found an empty seat beside another pregnant woman.

"Hi, I'm Emily Feehily," she said, shaking Stella's hand.

"Stella Taylor."

"Oh you must be Dylan's mom," Emily said. She pointed to the desk up front. "My son is that boy beside him, Bobby. And that redhead girl behind your son, that's Bettina, my daughter."

The teacher entered the room. "Wow, twins," Stella said. "And you're pregnant, too?"

"Oh yes… three months. And you?"

"Seven," Stella answered. "A baby sister for Dylan." They were silent for a while, the teacher was introducing herself to everybody and the parents were listening to what she was saying. Most of the kids had their attention to her, too. A handful was glancing from time to time to the back of the room, checking if their mommy or daddy is still there. "Where's your husband?" she asked after the teacher's attention turned to the kids.

Emily smiled and answered, "We own a coffee shop near the court house and one in Yonkers. The Sligo Room. It's a family business my husband's family owns for twenty years. They brought it over here from Ireland. Thus my daughter's red hair." They laughed. "It doubles as a pastry shop – that's my addition to the biz. I love to bake so… yeah." She gave Stella a card of the coffee shop. "How about yours?"

"Oh, he's an NYPD detective," Stella answered proudly. "Crime Scene Unit; First Grade. That's where I… where I met him."

The woman beside her perked up right away. "You worked together? And fell… oh that's so sweet," she said and Stella blushed.

"Well, it's a long story but in a way, yes," she chuckled.

"Wait, so you're a cop, too?"

"Was. For the past two-three years, I worked as a college instructor," Stella explained. "But I was a cop for ten plus years. Half of that, in the crime lab."

The woman beside her was impressed. Sure she saw a lot of female cops in their coffee shop through the years but this is the first time she's talked personally to one. "Crime lab. So you're one of those behind the yellow tape with the silver kits?" Stella nodded. "Wow. Dylan _should _be a very smart little boy."

They looked over to their children and smiled. The three were talking about whatever normal four-year-olds were in to and laughing. Dylan saw Stella looking over at him and he waved. She waved back.

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_Mandi – I can't stop writing Dylan haha._

_Mo – of course, he's Mac and Stella's son after all. How can he not like school? XD_

_csinyfreak12 – I'm glad you like this one._

_Murgy31 – oooh, maybe… ;)_

_Paly – hey, I hope you're feeling better now._

_Volonta – hahaha, oh yes… a dog with a green mind. _


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Sorry it took too long. Enrollment and all those blues. Got to cough up some money lol. And I have a bug. Silly hot and cold weather.**_

_**Anyway, I hope you all are okay where you are and enjoy!**_

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On the kids' break time, they were reunited with their mothers in the picnic tables near the playground. Bobby and Bettina were very polite little children and they liked Dylan to be their friend. He felt the same for them. The mothers couldn't have been happier.

The day went by smoothly and by the end of the first school day, the children had introduced themselves to their classmates and teacher, drew pictures and learned some new songs.

On their way to 'daddy's office', Dylan was still recounting his day to his mother. Emily got a cab back to their house. She offered to share but Stella promised Mac that they'll be dropping by the crime lab after school. Since it was just a few blocks away, they opted to walk.

By the time they got to the 35th floor, Stella was exhausted. Dylan was the complete opposite. He immediately spotted Adam entering the break room, biting his pen. He ran over to him, avoiding collision with other lab techs walking the corridor. Stella followed him inside and found his son hugging Adam's legs. "And lookie!" he said, raising his school bag and showing it to the older male.

"Awesome!" Adam said. "I'm glad you like it. Oh hey, Stella." She waved back and flopped down on a couch.

"My feet are killing me," she moaned, toeing off her flats.

"There's my buddy," a voice said. Danny entered the room and scooped Dylan in his arms. "What's with the get-up?" He saw the logo of the preschool on Dylan's collar and got it. "School boy now, are you?"

The little boy nodded and Danny put him down. "Yes, _Danny_," he said with a smile, emphasizing his name.

Danny's eyes widened and hugged him once more before standing up. "You got it right!" he chuckled. The boy blushed and laughed.

Just then, the break room door opened and Mac walked inside, straight to Dylan. "Daddy," the boy said as he was lifted up in his Daddy's arms in a tight hug. Mac's face looked very solemn and he was running his hand up and down his son's back. Dylan hugged back.

Lindsey, Sheldon and Flack came in not long after. Lindsey sat beside Stella and said in a whisper, "The victim in our case was a child. Dylan's age. When we heard you were here, Mac just sped off." Stella just nodded in understanding. Even before Dylan came along, cases that involved children were especially hard.

"Daddy," Dylan said again, kissing his dad's cheek. Mac loosened his hold on him to look at his face and smiled.

"How was your day?" he asked, sitting him down on the couch beside the women. He pulled a barstool beside him to hear about Dylan's first day of school.

The mood lightened up when the room was filled with the boy's laughter. Adam and the other men returned to what they were doing. Lindsey decided to stay and listen. "He reminds me of my nephews back at home," she said to Stella.

Mac pulled him on his lap and hugged him one more time before going back to work with Lindsey. "Could you guys stay at my office?" he said to Stella and Dylan. "He can take his nap there and we'll go out to dinner as soon as I finish with things over here." He kissed Stella softly, closing his office door.

Days like these would always drag slowly by. Stella saw Mac and the others walk past the office with long faces and slumped shoulders. After a while, the morale would be up when they have a suspect in custody. Running around, collecting results and heading over to the police department. The day ended by 7:30 p.m. when Mac carried a sleeping Dylan and took them home.

"I bought dinner," he said to his wife. "I figured since I was out and about the whole day, we might not have a sit-down dinner outside after all."

"It's okay, baby," she said, stroking his cheek. "You're tired and Dylan's tired and well, my feet are still killing me. Who knew that a trip to the toilet every thirty minutes would wear me out like this." They laughed.

He slipped his hand into hers and said in a subdued voice, "I know other ways to wear you out." Stella shivered as his thumb danced on her palm slowly. "Too bad you only have those trips to the toilet to burn off excess energy."

Stella scooted closer, putting her lips beside his ear, "You know better than tease me like this, Taylor." Before settling back to her seat, he gave the shell of his ear a little lick. "I might be pregnant but I still know how to please my man." That put him back to his place.

For the next weeks that followed, Dylan grew to _love_ school and made more friends. Stella and Emily would hang out together, like their children. Their husbands were also introduced.

When Stella entered her eighth month in her pregnancy, she opted to stay at home. Either Mac or somebody else from the team would pick up Dylan from school and drive him home. Sometimes she would drop by the crime lab, pick her son up herself but she didn't stay long. She would get tired easily.

One day, Mac took a weekend off and came home from work with Dylan. He burst through the door and straight to his mom with a piece of paper in hand. "My teacher asked me to give you this. Daddy already read it," he said, pulling himself up to the couch.

Mac sat beside her and gave her a kiss. "What's this?" she asked. It was a letter from the school inviting her and Mac to 'Parents Day'. It was a career day of sorts; kids bring their parents to school and they tell them what they do for a living. Emily told her about this and apparently, it's the Taylors' turn to talk.

She looked at her husband and smirked. She couldn't pass the chance to see Mac in full ceremonial blue. He seemed to get the message. "Oh no, Stella. I'm going with my detective suit," he said, bopping her nose with his finger. She pouted but laughed.

"But what am I going to be?" she asked the little boy on her other side. Dylan had his ear against his mother's belly. She stroked his hair and smiled. "_I know_," she said to herself.

They were scheduled to join the class that Wednesday. Dylan was so excited to have his Mommy and Daddy with him in school. He watched his classmates and their parents and he had fun. Now, it's his turn.

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_Mo – I'm looking forward to writing him when he's in school. Like in a class._

_Paly – my nieces are having the same jitters. School started for them yesterday._

_Betty – lol, thanks for pointing that out._


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Oh my god, I'm so under the weather. My voice sounds funny, my head hurts, my nose is runny… ahhh! And worse, school starts next week.**_

_**I hope I don't pass this on to little Dylan. Anyway, a lot of new cute kids in this chapter. I hope you enjoy this one.**_

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Dressed in his usual work clothes, with his detective pin, badge sans the gun, Mac sat patiently at the back of the room beside Stella who was in a pink and green blouse and black slacks. He had his kit by his feet. Dylan was chatting with his friends up front, waiting for their teacher. Some kids were staring at Mac, actually, his badge.

"Mister Sir," a blond little girl approached them, "are you Dylan's daddy?"

"Why yes, I am, little girl," he answered, shaking her hand. She batted her eyes and smiled.

"I like the shiny thing," she said, pointing to his NYPD badge. "It's pretty." She then walked over to Stella. "Hello," the she waved. "You have pretty hair."

Stella chuckled and put a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks," she said. "You're very pretty, too, Maggie." Her mom was the PTA president and Stella knew her well because of the countless times she declined Mrs. Berringer's offer of a spot on the board.

Little Maggie chuckled and ran to her desk, two rows to the right from Dylan and Bobby's. Their teacher, Miss Simmons, dressed in an "I Love My Kids" shirt, entered and started class.

They sang their 'Good Morning to you' song. Afterwards, Miss Simmons told some jokes that even got Stella laughing. Not to be overdone, some kids shared some jokes of their own. "Don would really sell here," Mac whispered to Stella.

She chuckled and replied, "Yeah, his jokes as well as his charm. That man has the charisma to stun even the youngest of girls."

"Yeah, they'd probably think he's a blue-eyed giant or something…"

That thought was cut short when Miss Simmons turned her and the class' attention to them. "Today, we have our dear Dylan's parents to show us what they do for a living. Yesterday, we had Carmen's parents show us how to make candy." Dylan stood up and walked over to them then led them to the front. "Dylan, would you mind introducing your parents to us?"

He nodded and said, "This is my daddy. Mac Taylor. And this is my mommy, Stella."

The kids said, "Good morning, Mister and Missus Taylor. How do you do?" in unison.

"And this," Dylan continued, rubbing Stella's tummy, "is my baby sister, Bumpy. She's still inside."

A hand shot up in the air and Bobby cried out, "My mommy's pregnuts, too."

Two more hands followed suit and two more little voices were heard. "My mommy is pregunts," and "Mine, too!"

"Great, you can have a 'pregnant mommies club'," Mac said to Miss Simmons. All of the adults laughed.

"Anyway, what does your parents do?" the teacher asked Dylan.

He smiled and said, "My daddy is a New York de… detef," he looked at Mac for help. His dad whispered it in his ear. "_Detective_!" he exclaimed proudly.

"Wow," Maggie gasped, eyes on the 'shiny thing'. "Are you a cop, Mr. Taylor?" she asked with wide eyes.

All the kids were waiting for his answer. Dylan was hugging his mom's leg. Mac knelt down to Maggie's level and the little girl giggled. "In a way, yes. I'm an officer of the New York Police Department."

"The _blue_," a boy behind him said. Everybody looked at him. "My dad was a policeman, too. He was on the horsies but he's…" Little Ernie looked down and pouted. He lost his father two years ago in the line of duty. Stella sat down to comfort the little boy.

"That's right," Mac said, standing back up and walking on the middle aisle. He ruffled Ernie's hair as he passed, earning him a smile. "We are also called 'the blue' because we usually wear uniform in the color blue."

He felt a slight tugging at his coat and looked down. A shy Asian girl asked quite timidly, "But why are you wearing something my daddy would wear?" Four-year-old Anita Yung's father worked for the 1st National Bank. She chewed on her lower lip as Mac's attention turned to her.

"Well, it's because I'm a different type of cop," he started.

But before he could say anything more, a big kid said, "So you don't go out saying, 'Freeze, you're under awest!' or… or put bad peoples to peesum?" That big kid was Jonas Hart and in his interview, he said that he wanted to be a cop when he grows up.

Mac stood up again and continued with his explanation, "I still do. But you see, kids… I work for the crime laboratory. I am what they call a _crime scene investigator_." He could see little faces wrinkle in puzzlement and interest.

"It's that big building close by, right, Mr. Taylor?" Ernie perked up. He nodded.

"What do you do, being a infestigater?" another little boy asked.

Stella chuckled. She knew that Mac could get uneasy with kids. Explaining job descriptions to a roomful of four-year-olds could be harder than cracking a suspect. "Whenever a bad thing happened, like somebody got hurt or… _killed_," he heard a few gasps but continued, "Me and my team explore the place where it happened. We then collect evidence to help us catch the bad guy. And then we go back to our office and study what we have collected." He saw heads nodding and some are smiling. "But we don't just collect things we see. We take picture of them and take notes." Just then, there was a flash of a camera. Stella was taking pictures.

A shaky hand rose up and Carrie Eames asked, "Do you have a gun? Mommy said guns are bad." The class rumbled with "I wanna see! I wanna see!"

"Uhm, children… I don't have my gun with me," he said and the kids sighed. "Your mommy's right – guns are bad _if_ you use it to do bad things. You see, cops have guns to stop something bad from happening or saving another person from a bad guy. _Robbers_," he said, using the analogy, "use guns to do bad stuff. You should stay away from them. Can you all promise me that?"

"We promise!" they all said in chorus. Even Miss Simmons replied.

"But how do we know who are the cops and who are the robbers?" Carrie asked.

Mac smiled. "These are pretty involved kids," he said to himself. "Sure, I'll show you," he replied. He reached for his belt loop and pulled out his badge.

"The _shiny thing_!" Maggie cried out, jumping up and down. She was excited to see it and hear about it. The whole class seemed to follow her lead.

"Yes, Maggie," Mac chuckled. "This shiny thing that I have here is called a badge." He held it up for everyone to see. "_All_ police men and women have this. If a person tells you that they're a cop, ask for his or her badge just to be sure." He knelt beside his son and instructed him to let his classmates hold it and look at it up close. "Be careful, okay?"

Dylan nodded and held the badge with two hands. He went to Bobby and Bettina first then the chain started. Some kids put it close to their faces, as if examining it for tarnish and cracks. When it reached Jonas, his hand rose again and stood up, "Mr. Taylor, do you go like this?" he asked, flashing the badge and saying, "I'm a cop. Stop, you bad guy!" The whole class laughed.

Mac was laughing himself. "Yes, sometimes I do. Usually, it's '_Freeze_, NYPD!' That's what we say." Stella hid a laugh seeing her husband goof around like that. Obviously, he was loosening up around these kids.

When the badge finally reached Maggie, she looked at it as if it's made of real gold. "Wow," she gasped. She looked like she was about to kiss it. "How do we get one of these?" she asked.

Miss Simmons smiled at her class. They were genuinely interested. Well, at least at Mr. Taylor's job – the previous parents weren't half as engaged as the Taylors were. "You know what, Maggie," Mac replied, "if have to do well in school. Get good grades and do well in school." He straightened up again and addressed the whole class, "If you want to achieve something… work for it. Nothing compares to the feeling of getting something you like or want knowing you worked very hard for it." He smiled at his family and the teacher, seated at the corner.

He clipped his badge back on when something jingled. "What's that?" Anita peeped in her little voice.

"These," Mac said, unclipping another item, "are handcuffs. We put these on bad people so they won't get away." The held them up but refused to let the kids hold it.

"Why not? I have plastic ones at home, Mr. Taylor," Jonas whined.

The teacher decided to butt in, "Jonas, these are real handcuffs. Not a toy." He settled down and nodded.

A collective, "Awww…" was heard in the room. But Mac had other things up his sleeve.

He went over to the teacher's table and opened up his kit. "This, boys and girls, is my box of neat things."

Stella covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing. "_Box of neat things_?" she repeated to herself.

But for all the corniness, Mac made up for the surprise he actually brought to all the children. He started handing out smaller boxes to each kid with the help of their teacher. Even Dylan got one. And Miss Simmons, too. "Stella, would you care to help me here?" he said to her. She smiled and stood up.

"What are you up to, _Detective_?" she asked, getting her own little box. She opened it up and found a ten-card, a dollar inkpad and a pair of latex gloves. He handed her a UV penlight. She looked at it and the pen actually writes with invisible ink. "Oh, I get it," she said with a wide smile.

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_Hey! Sorry if I had to go w/o replying to your reviews. I have to fly somewhere._

_Thanks!_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Sorry for taking too long. My first week back at the university is really tiring and already, I had a lot of things to do in my hands.**_

_**I hope you're still with me, though. I appreciate everything! Thank you!**_

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He nodded to the teacher and she said, "Now children, Detective Taylor will be showing us something. I want you all to pay attention and follow directions. Yes, yes?"

"Yes, yes!" the children giggled, clutching at their boxes.

"Okay, my lovely wife, Stella will help me with this," he said and she blushed. "I want you guys to open up your boxes and tell me what you see inside."

"Gloves," a kid from the back immediately said. "Card with boxes," another said. "Stamp thing," someone from the front replied.

They took each item carefully out of the box. Stella took the reins and explained, "Guys, these are what crime scene investigators use to keep records of the people they arrest." She looked at the teacher and Miss Simmons sat on the empty seat beside a little girl in pigtails. "Now, we'll show you how to use them. We all have seatmates, do we?"

"Yes!" they all exclaimed.

She pointed to Mac, "Detective Taylor here will be my seatmate. Does everybody know where their left hand is?" She was met with another 'yes' and all the left hands shot up in the air. "Okay… if your left hand is at the edge of the desk, you can put your hand down." Fewer hands remained up. "Wow, smart kids," Stella mumbled to her husband. "All of you who have their hands down, you follow me."

"Everybody with their hands up, you guys follow what I do," Mac said. He received an 'okay' for that. "You can put your hands down now. And we can get started."

"Yay!" they said.

"Okay," Mac led his part of the room, "these are gloves. Not the kind that your mom uses when she washes the dishes. It's what doctors use."

"My daddy has these, too," Rachelle Williams said, snapping them on.

When everybody on Mac's side had theirs on, too, he let Stella continue, "As for us, we'll take the piece of paper out of the box," the ten-card, "and the inkpad. The _stamp thing_." They chuckled.

"Right," Mac supported. "Kids, watch what we do…" he then proceeded to print Stella, every finger of each hand. "Did you get that?"

"I think so…" Maggie, who was seated beside Ernie peeped, trying to print her seatmate. "There!" She showed Stella the thumbprint she made. "Fingerprint!"

"That's it," Stella confirmed. After all sets of ten fingers were done, the kids exchanged places. Mac's group now was the one to be printed while Stella's wore the gloves. When they were done, Stella explained what they are for. "If you look closer, none of you have the same fingerprints. Even if you're twins," she glanced at Bettina and Bobby, comparing their own ten-cards. "That is one of the many things that make you unique little boys and little girls." Anita and her seatmate Carla were smiling at the work they did.

Mac was observing how Stella interacted with the children. "She's so good at it," he said to himself. He sat aside as she continued on with the next experiment.

"I have a special magic pen over here," Stella said, holding up the UV penlight. "And I am going to write something on this black piece of construction paper." She wrote down a word and showed it to the kids.

"There's nothing there," a kid named Arthur said.

"Ah, yes. But this is a _special_ pen," Stella smiled. She turned the pen over and continued, "I have a magic light on this pen and when I shine it on this paper, you'll see what I wrote."

Dylan smiled. "I know this," he whispered to Bobby who was intently listening to Stella.

She flashed the blue light on the paper and the whole class was in awe. "See here, kids," she said, showing them what she wrote. "The ink glows under the blue light. But don't look _directly_ into the light because it can hurt your eye. Always remember that." The kids nodded and a collective "Oh" was heard when Stella revealed the writing on the paper using the UV light. "You guys want to try?"

"Me first!" Maggie stood up. Stella pulled up a chair beside the girl and the whole class crowded around them. The little girl pulled out her Barbie notebook and let Stella write her name on the first page. She then handed Maggie the bulb part of the pen. "Like this?" she asked, pointing the beam to the page.

"Don't look at it directly, okay?" Stella reminded and the girl nodded, fascinated with the luminescence. She turned off the light and smiled widely. She gave Stella back the pen and hugged her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Taylor," Maggie mumbled in her hair.

"Aw… you're welcome, little lady," Stella hugged back. "Who's next?" she asked the class, standing up. Dylan was right by her side, helping her up from the small chair. "Thanks, baby," she whispered with a kiss on his forehead.

The children went back to their respective seats, all their hands up in the air. Miss Simmons took charge, "Now, sweeties. We all learned how to wait for our turn, right? Let us all be good boys and girls for Mrs. Taylor." She took out her lesson plan and said, "We'll go by your last names. Good thing Maggie went first because she's the first one on my list. Her last name starts with a B. And what's next?"

"C!" the class chorused. There were just twenty-two children, twenty if you skip Maggie and Dylan, left to amuse. When she finally came to Anita, Stella surprised even herself because she wasn't even tired.

The bell rang signaling it was break time for the children… and the parents. The little boys and girls pulled out their packed sandwiches and fruits and juices. Bettina walked up to Mac and Stella and Miss Simmons, seated around the teacher's table carrying three apple cinnamon cupcakes. "For you," she shyly said, blushing a bit.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Stella said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. Bettina giggled. She went back to her seat and ate her snack.

"Guys," Miss Simmons said to the kids, "after we all have our snack, we get to hear about what Mrs. Taylor does. Is that good?" Some replied verbally and some just nodded because there was food in their mouths.

When the teacher settled back to her seat and to her cupcake, Stella asked, "I never thought these things run for the whole day."

"Well, Mrs. Taylor – we have this twice a month. It's supposed to go on for one whole day of class," she explained. "And that depends if the kids are still interested after one parent is through with his/her explanation. This part of the job is the hardest… trying to keep their interest level up."

"What do you do if they get bored?" Mac asked after finishing his cupcake. "I mean, did that ever happen?"

Miss Simmons laughed. "Our second 'Parents Day' – Leila Sanban brought her lawyer mother and stockbroker dad. And they went on this jargon-filled discussion on how it is to be what they do. Epitome of _boring_," she glanced at Leila, seated beside Bettina. "Even their daughter fell asleep halfway through her dad's litany." The three adults laughed. "I had to cut it short after he went on and on about stocks and whatnot. I thought of games and songs to kill half the day. It's nice that every kid is having fun now. You guys really interested them."

Mac smiled. Hopeful not to sound like a worried dad, he asked, "Uhm… how's Dylan doing? I mean is he causing any trouble or anything like that?"

The women grinned. Stella looked at the teacher, waiting for her answer as well. "Oh Dylan? He's such a sweetheart! It's kids like him that makes my job fun and easier," she beamed. "He can light up the room with his smile and laugh. His classmates like him very much." She leaned closer to the parents and continued, "Especially _Maggie_." Their eyebrows arched. "I know, I know… they're four and all that. But no offense Mr. and Mrs. Taylor – but you make beautiful babies."

But Mac and Stella blushed, faces hot. Miss Simmons chuckled her apologies. Before she could say more, one of the kids raised her hand and said, "Miss Simmins… I need to go to the bafroom." She excused herself and attended to little LaKisha.

Dylan walked up to them and clambered up his father's lap. "Thank you," he said.

"Are you having fun, baby?" Mac asked, stroking his hair. Dylan nodded and snuggled closer.

Another bell sounded the end of the snack break. The children cleaned up their desks and selves while Miss Simmons reentered the room with the three kids who went to the bathroom.

"Listen up, children," she said, getting their attention. "We're going to sing another song before we get to know Missus Taylor." They readied and sang together a song about making new friends and having cute little pets. Mac and Stella took pictures while the kids were singing. Afterwards, the teacher called Dylan over. "Dylan dear, now that we all know what your daddy does for a living, what does your mother do?"

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_Murgy31 – oh here's more Maggie. :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Oh I hope I still have readers. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing albeit the reviews are a bit on the down slope. **_

_**I have decided to stretch this to… well, you'll find out at the end of the chapter. Thanks!**_

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He sauntered over beside Stella and looked up. "My Mommy used to be a teacher in Cawifornia," he explained. "But we moved here to New York and…" he looked up again to his mother, unsure of what to say next.

Stella took it from there. "I'm a Mommy," she proudly said. "A mommy to Dylan here and his future little sister," she touched her bulging belly. "I stay at home, do household chores, take care of my kids _and_ my husband," she glanced at Mac.

"But he's a big person," Carrie giggled. Stella laughed at that too.

"Well, you're right," she walked over to Carrie and said, "he's one _big baby_, alright." Mac glared at her and smiled. "But I'm not only a mommy. I'm also a _wife_. I take care of my husband. I take care of my home and family." She walked back to the front of the class. "This is what I do. And I'm sure your moms are the same. They have their own jobs as well as being a mom and a wife."

"Is it hard?" LaKisha asked. "My mommy said that Miss Opwah said that being a mommy is hard work."

"Yes, it is hard," Stella admitted. "I wake up early to make breakfast and snacks for Dylan to take to school. Then I prepare the things my husband needs for work. After that, I clean the house, do some laundry." She glanced at Mac, "But sometimes Mac does some chores for me."

Bettina raised her hand, "Why do you do it, Mrs. Taylor?"

She smiled at her question. "Because I love it. I absolutely _love_ being a mom and a wife. I didn't grow up with someone to call 'mom', unlike all of you – I don't want my son… or any of you to go through that," she said, holding back tears. Mac walked over to her and held her hand. "I know that I'm making my family happy. With that, I'm happy, too."

They saw Miss Simmons smiling. "I don't need to be paid in cash or whatever because I know that my baby boy and my incredible husband love me," she paused and looked at her family affectionately. "And that's all I need," she finished.

Dylan hugged her legs and looked at her with pure love in his eyes. Some of the little girls in the class got a little teary-eyed, reminding themselves to thank their own mothers once they come home.

One little boy raised his hand and asked, "Before you became a mommy… were you also a defectif?"

"Why yes, I was," she answered. "I worked with Mac for a long time in the NYPD crime lab."

"You also had the shiny thing?" Maggie asked, excitedly. Stella nodded.

She went on, "Then I worked at a university in California, like Dylan said earlier, as a teacher. Then I came back to New York a mommy." She caught Mac's eye knowingly. "And quite frankly, that is the _best_ decision I've done in my life."

Their teacher stood up and took control, "Well, that's really nice, Mrs. Taylor. Very inspiring, I might add." She walked up to the front of the class and addressed the couple, "Do you have anything to add? Before the kids go to their drawing time."

Mac stood up and said to the class, "Kids, you have great lives ahead of you. You have wonderful parents who support and love you very much. Just be the best that you can be and work hard to reach your dreams. Can you promise Detective Taylor that?"

"Yeeeees!" they all said, some of them standing up – Jonas, saluting.

"And guys," Stella said to finish the talk, "when you get home today, give your mommy and daddy a big ole hug and thank them for being there for you." The long chorus of agreement was repeated; this time, met with more enthusiasm.

The returned to their seats at the back of the room as Miss Simmons started to distribute pieces of paper for the kids to draw on. They all took out their crayons from their bags and waited for instruction. Stella was watching closely, absently rubbing her stomach. "I am getting big," she said to herself, smiling.

And as if reading her mind, Mac took her hand and said, "You're beautiful." She placed her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"Okay boysies and girlsies," the teacher said, handing out the last of the papers, "I want you to draw your favorite thing you've seen or done today. It can be a drawing of Detective Taylor's badge or draw a picture of your mom." She smiled at the parents and continued, "After all, we all like to show how thankful we are to Detective and Missus Taylor for sharing their time with is, right?"

"Yes, Miss Simmins," some of the children said; the others just nodded excitedly and then dug into the crayons.

She walked over to the Taylors and explained that they could keep the drawings afterwards. "It's something from them to you." Stella couldn't stop smiling. "The kids really enjoyed today. Maybe we could have you back some other time?"

"We would love to," Mac answered for the both of them.

"Miss Simmons, thank you very much for inviting us over and for taking care of Dylan for us," Stella said, shaking her hand.

A little while later, a yellow crayon was raised and Maggie said, "I'm finished, Miss Simmins!" She stood up and walked over to the adults at the back. "See! I made a picture of the shiny thing!" She proudly held the piece of paper in front of her, smiling widely at Stella and then at Mac. "You like it?"

Mac took the paper in his hands and looked at the swirls of yellow and blue and black to pick out the detail. Sure, it wasn't perfect but he could see how much Maggie was enthralled by his badge. "I love it, Maggie," he replied and she giggled. She walked back to her desk shared with Ernie. He stood up next.

He drew a picture of the mounted police. It was a tall man beside a horse. Upon closer look, he even drew his father's badge number with colored pencils. He scribbled "Thank You" at the bottom of the page. Smiling, he handed it over to Stella.

The rest of the kids gave them their finished drawings: several drawings of the 'shiny thing', the 'invistible' ink, the _stamp thing_, and there were also pictures of their mommies and daddies. But Dylan drew something different.

When class ended, the kids went over to hug both Mac and Stella before they ran outside to their parents or guardians. The adults promised Miss Simmons copies of the pictures they took.

In the car, Stella was browsing through the drawings the children gave them until she saw what Dylan did. She showed it to Mac and then to their son and asked, "Dylan, can you tell me what this is?"

It was a pink circle with green squiggles near the edge. Dylan giggled and pointed out, "That's Bumpy, Mommy!" Stella took another look and got it. "See? You're wearing pink and the green lines. _That's_ my favorite today."

Stella reached out and took Dylan's soft little hand in her own. "That's my favorite, too," she said. "You were really good today, Dylan honey." And that's when the baby in her tummy began to kick. She let go of his hand to clamp on her stomach. She bit her lip as a contraction surged through her.

Mac noticed her look of pain. "Are you okay, Stella?" he asked, keeping his eye on the road. They stopped at a red light and he turned to look at her. She was clutching her belly and was shaking her head as if saying "no". He unclipped his seat belt and hers. "What's the matter, sweetie? Talk to me."

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	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Yay! New baby on the way…**_

_**Enjoy!**_

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She was having trouble breathing and controlling her voice that all she cried out was, "_The baby_…" and then she screamed in pain. Dylan reached over to the front headrests to haul himself over and see what was going on.

"Mommy?" he sobbed, hearing her mother scream again. He looked at his father for support.

He assessed the situation. Stella's hands started to shake and tears were running down her face. And Dylan's face as well. "Mac… s'time," she managed to mumble amidst the pain.

When reality set in, he turned on the police siren and managed to cut into the traffic to the hospital ER. "It's not time yet!" Stella cried out when she was wheeled in.

"Two weeks, honey. Just two weeks," Mac soothed her, following the gurney while trying to calm a crying Dylan in his arms.

"_It's still two weeks!_" she screamed, grabbing on the sheets under her. The doctors and nurses were holding her down and making her more comfortable.

"Mommy!" Dylan sobbed on to Mac's shoulder.

The contractions slowed down a bit, enough for Stella to talk straight, "Dylan… Mommy's going to be fine. I would like you to calm down and be a good boy for Daddy and me. And if you do that, you can play with your baby sister later."

Dylan lifted his head to look at her. "Baby sister?" he peeped. She nodded, wincing as a mini contraction hit her. He sniffed once and gave her a comforting smile. "I love you, Mommy."

"And I love you, too," she said as the delivery room closed behind the doctors.

One doctor and a nurse stayed outside and the doctor said, "Mr. Taylor, I think your wife needs you inside. Nurse Joan here can watch Dylan while you're inside."

Mac nodded and handed Dylan to the motherly nurse. He kissed his forehead and followed the doctor. He could already hear Stella screaming out curse words and several profanities unbecoming of her to get through the pain. As he washed and suited up, the doctor asked, "Have you done this before?"

"No, ma'am," he panted. "I wasn't there during the first time." He gloved up as if it was nobody's business and the doctor looked at him in amazement. "I'm a crime scene investigator. Putting gloves on is what I do on a daily basis."

"I see," she smiled. "Well, I won't expect you to faint anytime soon, do would I?" They were chuckling as they entered the theater.

"What the _fuck_ are you laughing about, _Taylor_?" Stella shrieked. Her brow was sweaty and her knuckles were white.

The OB-GYN in the room went to the doctor and said, "Just a few cm's more, doctor. Should we give her the epi—?" but she didn't finish because Stella cut her off.

"NO! I'm in enough pain as it is," she said matter-of-factly. "This is the _last_ time that I am going to do this so let it be." She glared at Mac when she said 'last time'.

He kissed her brow and held her hand. He almost backed-off when he found his hand in a death grip. "Babe, you can crush my hand if you want," he whispered in her ear and kissing her cheek. "Anything to make it easier."

Stella smiled slightly. "I have every intention to do that, Mac," she joked. "Kiss me." He did and smoothed his other hand on the swell of her tummy. She screamed as she rode through another contraction.

"That's it, Stella, you can do this," he said, wiping the sweat off her brow.

The OB checked again and she nodded. "Okay, Stella…" she said, spreading her legs a wee bit wider. "You've been through this before; that adorable little boy outside is testament to that. You know the drill."

"Yeah, it just took me four pushes then," she replied sarcastically, ignoring Mac's wince as she squeezed his hand hard. "Let's just get it over with. Tell me when to push; I'm at your friggin' mercy."

The doctors smiled. Stella was as vocal as they come. "Okay, when a big one comes along, say hello to it." But instead of doing that, Stella screamed out loud a profanity that even had Mac taken aback. "That's good, too," the doctor laughed, unfazed. "Now one more… and this time, we go a _little_ bit gentler on the vocabulary."

"You're doing great, Stell," Mac encouraged. "Just a little more."

She pulled his hand violently that sent him almost on top of her. "Oh yes, very good," the OB commented. "Mr. Taylor, I think it would be better if you do not sit down. Just stand, in case she does that again."

Stella was panting heavily, not really anticipating the next contraction. Mac was attentively wiping off sweat and tears with a sponge and sometimes with a kiss. "I love you," she whispered; something which he always returned. But not long after, "_Fuckin' shit!_" she shouted as a really huge one hit her.

The OB had a real sense of humor to liven the tone. "Oh tsk, Stella. Watch your words because we have a baby's head in the room," she said. Stella's eyes went wide. "For the next one, I want you to push with everything. Can you do that for me?" She just nodded vehemently. "Here we go…"

A few more pushes and the room was filled with little screams that were even louder than Stella's. She settled down, exhausted and out of breath, hanging on weakly on Mac's hand which she was squeezing the life out of just a few seconds ago. Her eyes were blurry and her lips were dry. She was sore all over and well, she was not feeling friendly at that moment.

But when a pale little bundle wrapped in a white cloth was placed in her arms, she felt intense love rush through her system. She could faintly hear one of the people in the room say, "Please do the honors, Mr. Taylor," and the Mac-shaped blob move between her legs and then come back to her side again.

The world around her was a blur except from the man standing beside her, kissing her forehead and the little baby sucking her cute thumb in her arms. She looked up at her husband and said, "She's beautiful."

"You both are," he said, hugging them both and stroking his new daughter's cheek. "She's tiny." She merely nodded, still mesmerized by the new life she was cradling.

"Have you guys thought of a name for her?" the doctor asked.

Stella looked at Mac. She chose Dylan's name and so this is his turn. "Mary Alexandra," he proudly said, placing a kiss on the baby's forehead.

"I love it," Stella said, stroking his cheek.

"Great," the doctor said, writing it down and standing up. She gave the new parents a few more minutes with their daughter before taking her to run some tests. Stella fell asleep after that as they wheeled her to a private room. Dylan was waiting inside Room 716.

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_Ath3ns – Bumpy's a baby now. More children to look after on my part._

_Serien – nothing bad over here, right?_

_Paly – I hope school's doing well for you. I'm pretty busy as well._


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Hello! Whew… writing this fluff-fest is tiring haha. It took me a long time to get it juuuust right for all of you.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

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"Mommy?" he asked as Mac carried him and gave him a huge hug. "Where'd Bumpy go?"

"Mommy's tired and she's asleep," he explained. "She did very well today, little man. And _you_…" he said, pointing to the boy's chest, "are now an honorary _big brother_."

He broke out into the widest of smiles and clutched tightly to his father. "Really?" he asked excitedly. His eyes shifted to his sleeping mother to his father's face. "Can I see?"

"Maybe in a little while, Dylan," Mac said, sitting down with his son. "We'll go down to the nursery to see your baby sister in a few hours. She's taking a nap."

Dylan nodded and settled against his father's chest. After two hours or so, father and son went to the elevator, down to the nursery on the 3rd floor. Mac perched his son on his hip. "They're so little," the boy said, placing his palms against the glass. "Where is my sister?"

Mac spotted his new daughter and walked in front of her crib. The ankle tag was pink and written on there was, "Baby Girl Taylor. 2:15 PM. Stella Taylor (mother)." He lifted Dylan higher and said, "There she is, buddy."

The boy turned to the direction of his finger and put his nose closer to the glass. His eyes traveled the rows of newborns and stopped when he saw a pair of green eyes looking blearily up at him. Tiny clutched fists were against her little chest and she was rocking from side to side. "Baby sister?" he asked, looking at his father.

"Yes, that's her," he confirmed, kissing his cheek. "Isn't she beautiful?"

Dylan giggled. "She's teeny," he said, trying to catch her wandering eyes; eyes that were so much like their mother. The baby was looking around her surroundings, trying to decipher who and what they are. Until her eyes fell on the persons in front and above her. "Oooh, she's looking at me, Daddy! Look!"

He checked it out and smiled. "Hi baby girl!" he said, waving at her. Her beady eyes squinted and she yawned. Dylan giggled again.

A man stood beside them, looking for his newborn. He noticed Mac and Dylan and said, "Your daughter in there?" Mac nodded and pointed to her girl. "Oh she's very pretty. Are you happy to be a big brother here, bud?" he asked Dylan.

The little boy bit his lower lip. In his head, the man was labeled "A stranger. And Mommy and Daddy said _not_ to talk to strangers." And apparently, the man saw this as well.

"Oh, I'm Miguel Costa," he said offering his hand to the two. Mac took it and Dylan did, too. "I'm a volunteer firefighter; one of the good guys, bud. Nothin' to worry about." The little boy gave him a smile. "You taught your son well, Mister…"

"Taylor. Mac Taylor," he replied. "I'm with the NYPD so yeah, one can never be too overprotective, right?" The adults laughed. "So Dylan… can you answer the good man's question?"

"Uh-huh," the boy answered. "She's cute and she's little."

"Oh boy, she's going to be a real looker," Miguel commented. "Oh yes, _that's_ my little princess!" He pointed to a sleeping baby girl two cribs to the right of Mac's. Mike began to dab his eyes. "My first born. I'm sorry to be breaking down like this."

"Your daughter is very beautiful," Mac said to him and Miguel mumbled a thanks. "What's her name?"

Miguel took a few moments to collect himself and said, "Sienna… after her mother." He turned to them again and asked Dylan, "How about your baby sister there, bud?"

Dylan shrugged and looked at his father for information. "Mary Alexandra," he said to them. "My wife's Greek," he explained further. Mike nodded.

Before they could talk more, a nurse approached Mac informing him that Stella was awake. "Well, I won't keep you guys from her," Mike said, offering his hand and his card to them. Mac gave him his and before they could go, "See you around, Detective." Dylan waved back for both of them.

"There are my boys," Stella said weakly, sitting up against bunched up pillows. "C'mere, big brother." Mac placed Dylan on the bed beside his mother and gave them both a hug. "How is she?" she asked her husband.

He dragged a chair and placed it beside the bed. "She's perfect. Toes and fingers all accounted for," Mac proudly said. "She's 6.3 lbs, a bit smaller than when Dylan was born."

"Green eyes!" the little boy exclaimed. "She's has green eyes like yours, Mommy."

Stella kissed his chubby cheek and chuckled. "She does? My, my…" their conversation was halted when somebody knocked on the door and in came her OB with her newborn. She wheeled the crib in.

"Congratulations to all three of you," she said. Dylan scrambled to get a closer look at his new baby sister. "She's very healthy, not to mention beautiful. And all is normal. Never mind the two-week window," she smiled, handing Stella a birth certificate to check and sign. After she did, the doctor handed her the little baby. "Here you go…"

Stella's breath caught in her throat. Little Mary Alexandra was awake and looking around her, her little mouth slightly open. She shivered as she was passed on from the doctor's to Stella's arms. When she was settled down, she fixed her green eyes to her mother's, equally green.

"Hi there, little baby," Stella managed to squeak out, stroking her new daughter's soft cheek. "Hey, little Mara." Baby Mara's eyes fluttered close when Stella kissed her forehead and opened up again, shining.

They heard the door close; the doctor already left. Dylan carefully crawled to his mother's side, peeking at his baby sister. Mara's eyes shifted from her mother's to her big brother's. "Hello," Dylan said with a wave and smile. But she just stared at him. "I'm Dylan. Your big brother."

Their hearts swelled at that. Their son reached out to touch one small clenched hand and shake it carefully. Stella kissed Dylan soundly on the cheek. "Good boy," she whispered.

She snuggled closer to her baby, feeling her warmth and weight in her arms, against her chest. She always liked that 'new baby' smell – especially if it's from her own new baby. Mac sat on the bed and placed his head on her shoulder as the three of them stared at the newest addition to their family.

"Did you tell anyone yet," Stella asked her husband.

"Not yet," he replied. "Everything has happened so fast and…" she knew what he was saying and technically, this is the first time he saw his own child being born. A pang of guilt was at the pit of her stomach and she gripped Mac's hand. "Stell," he sighed, lifting up her chin to look at her, "I'm here now, am I?" She smiled and they kissed.

"Carry her?" she offered, placing the baby in his arms. Little Mara put her clenched hands up to her face as she was lifted. "There, there, baby…"

Mac cradled her gently. Her eyes were closed for a moment and when it opened, she now focused on her father. Mac kissed her forehead and cooed at her. "So soft," he sighed, taking one hand in his. She immediately grabbed on to his thumb. "So beautiful." Mara was pulling on his thumb towards her small mouth. When he pulled away, her little face started to scrunch up. Soon, small cries could be heard and the little baby started to flail her arms.

Dylan covered his ears. Stella saw this and smiled, "Margot did that also when you were born, little guy," she said to herself. She looked at Mac and his, 'what do I do now' look and raised her arms out saying, "Alright, I know what she needs and that's the one thing you _cannot_ give to her." Mac handed Mara back to her mother and pulled Dylan to his lap.

Stella eyed the two, "You guys okay with this?" starting to pull down the drape she was wearing, "I'm going to breastfeed." Father and son looked at each other. She waited for an answer from the two but decided, "Oh what the hell," pulling down just enough to expose her left breast and placing Mara to latch on her nipple. She was already crying even before she asked them and she couldn't wait any longer.

"Oh still feels like it's the first time," she said, stroking her daughter's hair.

"I did that, too, Mommy?" Dylan asked, wide-eyed. She nodded and smiled.

On the other hand, Mac was torn between blatantly staring and looking away to give them privacy. And Stella saw this. "_Mac_," she chuckled, "you can look. After all, she's _your_ daughter and… as if you haven't seen this part of my anatomy before." He blushed and raised his head to watch.

**CSINYCSINYCSINYCSINY**

_Bluehaven – yeah, there's a couple more chapters. Thanks for reading._

_magic-munchies – lol, I hope you didn't get in trouble with your math teacher._

_Mo -- huggles aww… thank you! I could see how Dylan would tell his friends about his new sister._


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Hey! Just one more after this one and we go on to other projects. I hope you stay with me, too.**_

_**Thanks! And enjoy all the fluff!**_

**CSINYCSINYCSINYCSINY**

Stella blushed, too. Dylan and Mara weren't the only ones who _suckled_ on her breasts. And _those_ suckles, were preludes to the kids they have now. Mac left his camera in the car but he brought his phone with him. He used that to take some pictures of his newborn with his wife and son. "You can take pictures of me and her later," he said when Stella offered.

Soon, the steady pressure on her nipple stopped and even breaths were on her skin. Stella looked down and saw that Mara fell asleep. "After all, newborns are awake for an hour or so," she thought, lifting her drape back up and letting Mac tie it. He also placed her carefully back on the crib. A few more pictures and he went back to his seat.

"I think I'm going to call them now," he said.

"Call Danny," Stella suggested. "That's the fastest way to disseminate information around the lab." The both of them laughed out loud as he dialed Danny's number.

Dylan was back on the bed and snuggled close to his mom. "Are you happy, Dylan?" she asked him.

"I'm very happy, Mommy!" he replied, putting his arms around her neck.

They heard Mac laughing and when they looked at him, he had his phone at arm's length. Cheers and something that sounded like applause could be heard on the other line. After a few seconds, Mac placed the phone back against his ear and said, "Yeah, I'll send pictures as soon as I click off. Room seven-sixteen, right. Alright, thanks, Danny. Bye." He was still chuckling when he switched to E-mail and sent Danny a couple of pictures.

"So?" Stella asked, expectantly.

"Well, you were right," he said. "He told everyone the news right after I said 'It's a girl'. I think he was in the hallway between the trace lab and the break room – that's the most populated place in the lab at any given time." Mac pocketed his phone and continued, "I could hear Adam and Lindsey nearby. Danny promised to tell Flack and the doctors _if_ I send him pictures."

"Which you did."

"Yes, and he said they would all drop by probably after shift." He stood up and paced the room and said, "I'll call my mother later. She would be so elated…"

"Mac…" Stella interrupted his talking, "can you get my purse from the car. I uh… I want to call Andrea." He smiled softly and nodded.

Before leaving, he gave her a long kiss and said, "I'm so proud of you," and ruffled Dylan's hair. "I'll be back in a few minutes." And as usual, Dylan waved goodbye as he left.

Stella tried to stand up but she was still too weak. So she instructed Dylan to carefully push the crib nearer to the bed. He did what he was told and looked lovingly at his little sister.

When they heard the door open, they expected Mac with her purse and some food (_not_ from the hospital). He did come back with those, but he wasn't alone. "_Donnie_!" Dylan cried out, flinging himself to the blue-eyed detective.

"Hey, big bro!" he hugged back. "Hey Stella." He hugged her, too and noticed the little bundle beside her. Dylan was with Mac on a nearby couch, attacking a slice of carrot cake. Don walked over to the other side and gently pulled down the blanket. "Oh she's beautiful, Stella," he commented, tracing his index finger up and down the baby's cheek.

"What are you doing here so quickly?" she asked, carrying her sleeping daughter.

"I was just a few blocks away when Messer put out the broadcast," he said, placing a basket of oranges on the bedside table. "I figured I could spare a few minutes to see the new addition to the Taylor family before the battalion gets here. Danny also taunted me, saying he has pictures of the little one."

Mara fidgeted a little and they lowered their voices. "And now, you got one up on him… seeing her up close," she said. "Want to hold her, Uncle Donnie?"

Don blushed and held out his arms. "Just tell me what to do. I haven't carried an infant before," he admitted. In no time, Stella had Mara in his arms.

"Be careful," Dylan from his seat, halfway through the cake he was eating. "_That's _my baby sister." A huge flash filled the room. Mac also took his camera from the car.

"What's her name?" Don asked, feeling comfortable with the slight weight in his arms. "So pretty…"

"Her name's Mary Alexandra," Mac answered. "_Mara_ – as Stella calls her now." Don smiled and returned his attention to the baby.

Dylan was finished with the cake and walked over to the detective. "Me carry?" he said to the adults, holding out his arms to his sister. Mac then picked up and perched him on his hip. "No, Daddy. May I carry my baby sister? Pwease?"

The homicide detective placed Mara back in Stella's arms and was now tinkering with his phone – probably telling Danny about him being with the new parents already. A soft snigger shortly after confirmed that. And Dylan was badgering his father to letting him carry the baby.

"I promise that I'll be careful. _Very _careful," he said with his hands filled with the fabric of Mac's shirt. "Please…"

Stella wanted him to carry Mara. But it was risky nonetheless. "Come here and sit beside Mommy," she called over to Dylan. He crawled nearer and seated himself on one of the pillows. He already had his arms out and ready. Mac and Don watched in amusement. "Now, put your arms like this," Stella directed his arms enough to cradle the baby's head, neck and back. "And your knees… like this," she continued for him to support the baby's legs and feet. "Okay… you ready?"

"Yes, Mommy!" he exclaimed. Stella carefully placed Mara in her brother's arms, smoothing out the blanket around her. She immediately choked back tears when she saw her children together. Dylan's eyes saw only his new little sister, attentive and alert of the responsibility he had at that moment. Mac was shaking so much with emotion that Don had to take the pictures.

**CSINYCSINYCSINYCSINY**

_Mo – lol, for sure Mac saw way more than that hahaha…_

_Everybody – I forgot to add in the last chapter that "Mara" is baby Mary Alexandra's nickname._


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Last chapter, guys. Sorry it took so long – too much schoolwork in my hands right now. Anyway, I have a new one coming up… angsty and based on the SMACked spoilers for season4 so far.**_

_**So there. Thank you for letting Dylan and his new baby sister Mara in your computers every update. And I thank you very much for staying with me.**_

**CSINYCSINYCSINYCSINY**

"Why don't the two of you get into the photo?" he suggested the parents. Mac and Stella sidled beside their son and daughter and they all smiled for the camera. But before Don could take the picture, he said, "Mara's awake."

And surely, her green eyes were wide open, staring at her big brother. She turned her head to the right and saw two familiar faces and one new face. Her face started to scrunch up. "Mommy, Mommy…" Dylan started to say.

Stella stroked her daughter's cheek and it seemed to calm her down. "You scared her, Don," she teased. When Mara settled comfortably in Dylan's arms, she said, "Take the picture already."

"Okay, s'long as this shot becomes the picture on the Taylor family greeting card," he said, holding the camera and taking a perfect picture… two pairs of hazel and two pairs of green eyes looking back at him.

"Oh my… it's not really greeting card material, being dressed in a hospital gown," Stella said, taking a look at the picture.

"Don't worry, we can PhotoShop it out, put you in a Valentino gown, if you like," Mac joked. Stella just glared at her. Don thought it was a great shot, so he took it.

"_Hey!_" the both of them said, Mac moving to snatch the camera from Don.

On the other hand, Dylan was oblivious to the outside world. He gave his little sister an Eskimo kiss, something that went unnoticed by the adults. Mara just blinked back; a newborn couldn't smile yet but inside, she was happy. They were silent… just like that for a few moments, sharing a brother-sister moment.

Soon after, the three adults noticed Dylan being unusually quiet. When they looked at him, Mac was just in time to snap a frame of Dylan kissing Mara on the tip of the nose. Stella placed her head on her husband's shoulder and just smiled proudly.

Unfortunately, Don was called in. He stayed with the Taylors for an hour before he had to leave. "I'll be back with the horde later today, okay?" he said before disappearing behind the door.

That's when Stella decided to call Andrea Moore. The time difference between New York and LA told her that Andrea would probably be on last class. She dialed the number she knew by heart and waited for the usual professional, "Professor Moore," reply.

"Andrea?" Stella started.

"Hey!" Andrea said, all professionalism gone. "I just finished a class. Good thing you caught me. All's good at your end?"

She smiled, walking over to the window. "Yeah… _extremely_ well. Dylan's enjoying school. Mac and I are happy." She paused as if gauging how to tell her. "And… Mara's doing very well."

There was a pregnant silence on the other side. And then a loud and shrill cry flew through from Andrea's end. It was Stella's turn to veer away from the handset. "Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious!" Andrea practically _screamed_. Mac could even hear it from where he was sitting with their son. Dylan chuckled. "When? How? Oh _of course_ I know how. Uh… her name? Weight? My goodness, Stella…" she babbled.

"Whoa there, Andrea," Stella laughed. Andrea had the tendency to babble (a Taylor inside joke: _to turn into Danny_) when she's overly stressed or extremely excited. It was pretty clear that this time, she was thrilled to hear the news. "Okay… one by one. She was born just a couple of hours ago. I'm sorry I hadn't called sooner. I was dead to the world for a few hours and I'm just so overwhelmed right now."

"That's okay, Stella," said Andrea. "I'm hyperventilating over here and I'm not even at your side yet."

They laughed. "We named her – no, actually _Mac_ named her Mary Alexandra. _I _nicknamed her Mara. She's 6.3 lbs. Very cute."

"Of course!" Andrea replied. "You and Mac make pretty babies."

"You know, you're not the first one to tell me that," Stella giggled.

"Oh I bet. Hey… everybody here sends their congratulations to all y'all," she said. Stella heard a few familiar voices from the other end. "I'm assuming that I am entitled to pictures."

From where Stella was seated, by the window, overlooking the parking lot, she spotted a familiar department-issued SUV and unmarked squad car. They were at the seventh floor and it was a bit cloudy but she could not mistake the eight figures alighting from the vehicles. Three people from the squad car (two guys and a girl) and the remaining five from the SUV (three doctors, a CSI and a lab technician).

"I'll have Mac send the pictures," she replied. Walking over back to the bed.

"No hurry," Andrea answered. "Listen, I'll let you rest and I'll tell Joel and Margot the great news and we'll talk more."

"Okay, I'll hold on to that," Stella said. "We'll be having some company in a few minutes anyway. Extend my love to Joel and Margot, okay? Bye."

"Bye and congratulations," Andrea said before clicking off.

Stella collected her little girl from her son and sat on the bed. "We've got company," she informed the two. Soon, there was a soft knock on the door together with shuffles of feet and garbled voices. "Come in," she said.

A burst of greetings filled the small private room. Lindsey and Jennifer Angell said their congratulations at the same time. Sheldon and Sid and Adam were armed with teddy bears, "We're supposed to throw you a baby shower; the idea was one bear per person from the lab," Sheldon explained. Don and Danny were all smiles, two pairs of blue eyes gazing at the little bundle staring back at them. Peyton was standing in one corner, holding a basket of fruit and flowers, smiling.

The sudden barrage of noise was a shock to little Mara. She scrunched her eyes shut and let out a wail and started to thrash her arms around. The crowd quieted right away as Stella tried to calm her daughter down.

"Must've been too much for her," Lindsey said, making her way beside Stella and taking a closer look at the new little Taylor. "Aw… there now, baby girl." But Mara kept on crying.

Adam dug into one of the bags he was carrying and produced a small brown teddy bear. "Here, maybe this could help," he suggested and handed Lindsey the toy. She held it near the crying baby, making cooing noises of her own.

The two blue-eyed men in the room made their way near the window. Danny might not always get the news first but he's always ready. A few shots here and there, "Something to add to the photo album," he whispered to Don. Dylan clambered up the taller detective and snuggled.

Sid clapped Mac on the shoulder and said, "I have some cigars here for you, if you want to smoke one with me later." Angell snatched another bear from Adam's bag and joined Lindsey in calming the baby down. "She's beautiful, very Stella."

Mac chuckled. Even then, Sid's flirting with Stella. "I might take you up on those cigars later, Sid," he replied. "And yes, she _is_ beautiful." From the corner of his eye, he spotted Peyton, standing in a corner, quietly watching the scenes in front of her. Her eyes were moist, her expression not of jealously but of _happiness_.

From the day they knew that what they had was no match to what he has with Stella, Peyton has realized that she was powerless to do anything to change that. She remained friends with both and now, she was standing in Stella's hospital room being a witness to the joy between Mac and Stella.

Finally, the little baby girl calmed down and reached out to touch the soft toys above her. Dylan took it as a sign to _scold_ the crowd. "Next time, don't be too noisy!" he said from Don's arms.

"Now, _that_," said Sid, "is very Mac Taylor." The whole room erupted in laughter and both Dylan and Mac blushed.

"Peyton," Stella said suddenly when the laughter died down. The woman in question looked up and smiled. "Would you like to hold Mara?" Stella offered with a genuine smile. She must admit that Peyton's past with Mac was bittersweet for her yet she knew that Mac was loved by this woman… and for that, she's eternally grateful.

The people in the room waited for Peyton's reaction. Her smile widened and she said, "I'll be glad to." She walked over to the bed. Lindsey stood aside as Stella placed Mara in Peyton's outstretched arms. "Hello there, little lass," she cooed lovingly.

"Oh this is priceless," Lindsey mumbled, making her way to Danny's camera and snatching it from him. "Stella, Peyton, over here!" she called out to them as she took a picture – Mara in Peyton's arms beside Stella. Mac stood there, stunned, as well as glad. He was happy on how things turned out between the two women he adored.

Not long after, everyone in the room had that chance to hold the baby and by the time Don handed her back to Stella, Mara was already asleep. During that hour and a half, the sheriff called to congratulate the two. The Feehily family and the Berringers also called up saying that they'll try to drop by after school. And also, they will try to bring other classmates and parents with them. Miss Simmons said that Dylan could miss school tomorrow to be with his baby sister. She'll be swinging by as well.

When Dylan started to yawn, they all decided to call it a night. Since they all went to the hospital together, Adam, Lindsey, Sheldon, Sid and Peyton left together. Peyton told Stella that she'd be there tomorrow afternoon. Don, Danny and Angell left thirty minutes after.

When things are quiet again, Mac began to reflect about the long day he had today. One moment, they were driving home from Dylan's school – the next, he's holding his new baby daughter. Dylan's sleeping form was snuggled tightly against his mom's side, exhausted from a day in the hospital. Stella was gazing at him with pure love in her eyes as he placed their Mara back to her crib to sleep.

He walked back to sit beside her, kissing her softly. "I don't think I'll ever tire of loving you, Stella," he admitted. "Thank you for Dylan and Mara."

Stella swallowed back the tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you for giving me a family, Mac," she whispered. "I'll always love you. All three of you." She rested Mac's chest, his steady heartbeat lulling her to sleep.

**CSINYCSINYCSINYCSINY**

_Serien – I have to have Don in every story. Especially if it's with kids._

_Mo – I was touched by that scene too. It's so nice to see big brothers taking care of their little sisters._

_MJ – hmm, let's see if I can make more of these and have Maggie in them._


End file.
